


Swish

by iloveromance



Category: The Good Wife (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 16:54:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24160132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveromance/pseuds/iloveromance
Summary: Once upon a time two young Georgetown law students; a beautiful girl named Alicia Cavanaugh and a handsome boy named Will Gardner met at a midnight pool party...
Relationships: Alicia Florrick/Will Gardner
Comments: 8
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my imagining of what Will and Alicia's meeting and first date might have been like.

Swish (verb)-A basketball term meaning "Nothing but net"

In her pink one-piece swim suit, Alicia Cavanaugh couldn't have felt more self-conscious than if she'd been standing in the midst of the crowd of Georgetown students naked. What was she doing there anyway?

Oh yes… she was there because of Amanda, her dorm roommate and friend. Although in all honesty, Alicia was no longer certain that the word friend could be used to describe Amanda Greenfly. What kind of friend thrusts their friend into a realm of uncomfortableness by forcing them to attend a midnight pool party against their will?

Perhaps force was too strong of a word, but Alicia refused to change her theory on that subject. She definitely didn't want to be there and the sad truth was that she didn't belong there. She'd come to Georgetown University for a reason and one reason only; to become a lawyer, and a damn good one at that. She was, even at her young age, bound and determined to become the best damned lawyer that anyone had ever seen. The morons who said that women weren't capable of being good lawyers had never met Alicia Cavanaugh, but they would. And when that day came, she was going to make sure that she knocked their socks off.

But she'd barely been a law student for six months when Amanda decided that Alicia had endured enough academics and it was time that for her to discover the social side of Georgetown. Alicia should have known that taking Amanda's already-unwanted advice was not a good idea. This party proved it in ten-fold. If Alicia really had been a lawyer, or better yet a judge, Amanda would have been sentenced to a month of tutoring Alicia in Intro to Law, followed by three meals a day in the Georgetown Cafeteria. That was a sentence that nobody would want.

"INCOMING!"

She barely had time to react when she was hit with a tidal wave of heavily chlorinated water that not only soaked her previously dry swim suit, but her carefully styled hair. It had probably been completely pointless to style her hair before going to a pool party in the first place, but at the time she had no intention of swimming. And when she'd reluctantly followed Amanda Greenfly across the huge Georgetown campus to the house where the party was held (the biggest house she'd ever seen; a mansion with a enormous pool in the monstrosity of a backyard), she was grateful that she didn't feel as though she looked completely horrible. But now all of that had been ruined, along with her hair and her makeup.

For a second it was hard to breathe, as though she'd been thrown into the pool and was gasping for air. And then she shivered from the sudden cold, remembering a second too late that she'd stupidly neglected to bring a towel. What kind of idiot went to a pool party and forgot to bring a towel?

Coming to this party had been a bad idea of epic proportions. Her only plans had been to make an appearance and then leave. Well, she'd made an appearance all right. But she couldn't very well leave like this; soaking wet and looking every bit the outcast.

Suddenly she felt a warm weight around her shoulders; one that was surprisingly soft, like a blanket. Curious, she turned around to find herself looking at the most handsome face she'd ever seen. He seemed too old to be considered a boy, for what boy would be at a midnight pool party at Georgetown University? His looks were that of a young man, barely into his twenties, she guessed. And for a moment she was rendered speechless; an act that was indeed a rarity.

"I'm really sorry about that." He said. The words made her weak. Not only was he extremely handsome, but he had a nice voice as well.

Perhaps coming to a midnight pool party wasn't such a bad idea after all.


	2. Chapter 2

"I-it's okay." She blurted out, realizing at once how stupid she sounded. And she could tell by looking at him that he wasn't stupid at all. She knew that he didn't believe her for a New York minute.

"No it's not okay." He replied. "I just… I got carried away I guess. I can't help myself really. I'm a cannonball fanatic and I love doing them. Whenever I see a pool and a diving board, I just-."

"You certainly made a splash." She quipped, making him laugh.

"Yeah, I guess I did."

"You're very good at it." She said, shivering as she pulled the object around her shoulders (which she had discovered to be a large beach towel) closer to her body.

"Look, I really am sorry." He repeated.

"It-It's fine." She replied, trying to keep her teeth from chattering.

"Let me make it up to you."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Make it up to me? You don't even know me."

"You know, you're absolutely right." He extended his hand in greeting and smiled. "Will Gardner."

"Alicia-um-Cavanaugh." She stammered.

"Pleased to meet you, Alicia-um-Cavanaugh."

She laughed. "You're mocking me."

"I'm a lawyer, it's what I do."

Her eyebrows rose. "You look awfully young to be a lawyer, Mr. Gardner."

"You're right. The defense rests. I'm not a lawyer yet. But just wait. It'll happen. You can bet on that."

She smiled, her heart fluttering. "So you mentioned something about making it up to me?"

His hand went to her back. "Come on. You're freezing."

Reluctantly she allowed him to lead her away from the pool and to a dimly lit area. You must be insane! Her conscious screamed from inside her head. What are you thinking? the voice in her head continued. She'd heard so many horror stories about girls her age (and even older) who fell for a boy (or a man's) charms only to have their bodies violated and then those lifeless bodies dumped deep into the woods where they were found months or even years later.

The images of grieving friends and families came to her now, haunting her with the memory. She shuddered once more, fighting back tears. She was suddenly too terrified to protest, so she blindly walked beside him. If she was going to die at the hands of Will Gardner, she might as well get it over with.

She couldn't imagine what her mother would do when she heard the news, but most likely she'd do what any mother would do; go into complete hysterics, never to fully recover from such a tragic loss; not to mention her father and her brother Owen. She and Owen fought like... well, brother and sister, but she loved him and she knew that he loved her. And she had a feeling that Owen would take Alicia's impending death the hardest of all But even that horrible thought didn't stop her from following this Will Gardner person to an unknown location.

And then she was hit with the surprise of her life.


	3. Chapter 3

"Sit here, okay? I'll get you some hot chocolate. They've gotta have some in a house this big."

She looked up in confusion. Will's words certainly didn't fit the recent images that were racing through her mind. "H-hot chocolate?"

"Unless you want coffee. But you don't look like the type who drinks that stuff. "

"Stuff?"

"Coffee. Not that it's wrong to drink coffee or anything." He quickly added.

"I-um… yeah..."

"Huh." He said, his face registering surprise. "Well, I guess I was wrong then. Coffee it is."

"No!" She yelled, not meaning to yell at all. "I'm sorry. H-hot chocolate is fine. Thanks."

"Sure. No problem. I'll be right back."

She blinked, suddenly aware of what was happening. He hadn't dragged her into the woods at all. And she wasn't going to die. Not at the moment anyway. Will Gardner wasn't a psychopath. He was just a nice man who was trying to make her feel comfortable.

As she took in her surroundings she realized that she was sitting on a bench in front of a fire pit. The warmth of the fire lifted upwards, surrounding her like a blanket. And she could feel the coldness within her melting away.

He was back before she could think another thought.

"Here you are." He said. "Careful, it's hot."

She took the steaming mug from him. The scent of chocolate and something else wafted under her nose and when their eyes met he smiled.

"It's cinnamon. That's okay, isn't it? It's all they had. Can you believe that? In a house that big they only had one kind of hot chocolate?"

She laughed. "Well, it's not really hot chocolate season, right now, is it?"

Her words made him laugh out loud. "Hot chocolate season, huh? That's funny! I'll have to remember that one!"

"You really think that's funny?" she asked, unable to believe that someone found humor in her words.

"Yeah, it was hilarious! You have a great sense of humor, Alicia-Uh-Cavanaugh!"

She blushed even harder, and was grateful not only for the darkness that hid her embarrassment, but for the laughter. It had been a long time since she laughed so much. "It's just Cavanaugh. And thanks." She could feel her cheeks burning from his compliment, but there was no doubt that she was grateful.

"My pleasure." He said, his eyes lingering on her face. "But you never answered me about the hot chocolate. Cinnamon is okay, right?"

"It's fine, thanks. And I'm sorry, Mr. Gardner."

"For what?"

"Misjudging you. I thought-."

Suddenly she wished she'd never even considered bringing up the fact that she had mistaken him for someone who violates and kills women. What kind of a person thinks that about another human being? Even without confessing this to him, she was mortified at her assumptions.

"What?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. Oh God, I'm such an idiot!" She took a sip of her hot chocolate and felt as though she'd gone to heaven. It was the best hot chocolate she'd ever tasted. Or perhaps it was the company she was with. Either way, she was even happier that she'd decided to come to the party.

"I doubt that." He said in response to her statement. "In fact, you look pretty smart to me."

She blushed at the compliment. "Thanks. So… is this your way of making it up to me, by giving me a mug of hot chocolate? It's very good by the way."

"Well, thanks, but actually no. I was thinking more like dinner and the game."

Now she was bewildered. "What kind of game?"

"The playoff game, you know the big game? Actually it's more than big, Alicia. It's huge!"

She smiled in amusement at his boyish excitement, although she had no clue what he was talking about. "So?"

He laughed. "You don't follow sports, do you?"

"Not if I can help it."

"Not even for your own school?"

"I came to Georgetown to become a lawyer, Mr. Gardner. Not to engage in a football game!" she retorted in a tone that let him know that that she meant buisiness. But he was undeterred.

"Actually Georgetown doesn't have a football team. Not one that's worth talking about anyway. And I was thinking more along the lines of basketball. Since it is basketball season."

"As opposed to hot chocolate season?" she quipped, making them both laugh.

"Right…" he said. "It's not hot chocolate season. You made that abundantly clear."

"So what were you thinking, Mr. Gardner?"

"You know you can call me Will, right?"

"I'll keep that in mind, Mr. Gardner."

He chuckled. "Okay, good. Well, I was thinking. I have these tickets…"

"Speeding tickets?"

His eyebrows rose. "What?"

"Nothing, it was another joke. A bad one that time. Sorry. What kind of tickets?"

"I have these tickets to the game on Friday night and I was just wondering…"

"Okay."

Their eyes met and it was seconds before she realized what she'd said. The expression on his face told her that he wasn't expecting her to answer before he'd even finished the question, if in fact that was the intended question. And judging from his reaction it was. In that moment there was nothing she could do except smile back.

"Really? You'll go to the game with me?"

Her heart was beating so rapidly that she was sure he could hear it. And this time she heard her answer loud and clear.

"Yes."


	4. Chapter 4

"So?"

Alicia regarded Amanda with annoyance and tried to focus on her reading about the famous and fascinating case Roe Vs Wade. It happened forever ago it seemed, but it was still widely talked about. And Alicia could certainly see why. However, Amanda's badgering was making Alicia's progress in reading about the case impossible.

"Alicia, answer me!" Amanda pleaded.

Exasperated, Alicia put down her book, leaving it tented on the bed. "What?"

"You know damn well what!" Amanda retorted. "Tell me about this guy you're going out with!"

Alicia groaned. Oh God, not this again. Amanda Greenfield was the nosiest college student on the planet and she wouldn't stop until she had every detail.

"You mean Will Gardner?" Alicia asked innocently. "What about him?"

"Tell me everything and I mean everything! What's he like? Is he cute? Tall, short?"

"God Amanda, what is this, twenty questions? He's just a guy that I met at that stupid pool party!"

"See? I told you that it would be worth it!" Amanda squealed. "So where's he taking you?"

"A basketball game."

Amanda scrunched up her face, clearly unimpressed with Alicia's answer. "Basketball? Well, that doesn't sound very romantic; sitting on a flat, hard metal seat watching sweaty guys run back and forth on a court trying to throw a basketball into a hoop."

Alicia laughed. "Well that's good because I don't plan on there being any romance. He was just being nice, trying to apologize."

Amanda's eyebrows rose. "Apologize? For what? Oh God, did he try to-."

The unspoken thought made Alicia shudder, remembering how wrong she'd been about Will. "No, it was nothing like that. I mean I was a little afraid of him at first, but he's really nice. He's cute too. But I hadn't been there ten minutes when he got me soaking wet!"

Alicia could see Amanda trying to hold in her laughter. And her annoyance grew. "It's not funny, Amanda!"

"Yes it is!" Amanda countered, her laughter finally unleashing itself. "Oh my God, you mean he threw you into the pool?"

"Um, no, that's not what happened at all. He-." Alicia paused and smiled. Sure, it was funny now, but it certainly wasn't funny when it had happened.

"He what?"

"He was doing a cannonball into the pool and he made a huge splash. I was soaked to the skin. He said that he couldn't help himself."

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Cannonballs? God, that's so immature!"

"I guess." Alicia shrugged. "But I got soaked. And he felt so bad about it that he wrapped a towel around my shoulders and got me some hot chocolate. Cinnamon hot chocolate, even though it's not hot chocolate season." She smiled at her choice of words.

"Whatever that means."

Alicia sighed. Of course Amanda didn't find her joke funny, but Will certainly had. And perhaps that's what mattered the most.

"So then what happened?"

"Well, he asked me to go the game and I said yes!"

"Why?" Amanda's voice took on a different tone; one of irritation and disbelief.

Alicia could keep her anger in no longer. "What do you mean, why? What in the hell is wrong with you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. God, Alicia, I'm just making conversation."

"The hell you are!" Alicia shot back. First you drag me all the way across campus to that damn party that I didn't even want to attend and now you're shunning me?"

"I'm not-." Amanda sighed deeply. "Look, how much do you know about this guy?"

"God, you sound like my mother! I know enough, okay? Don't worry about me, I'll be fine!" And then she smiled. "Besides, he's really nice."

As expected, Amanda rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you mentioned that. Well, I hope you have a great time. But if he tries anything, call me, okay? I don't want anything to happen to you."

When Alicia noticed the worry in Amanda's eyes, she engulfed her roommate into a fierce hug. Amanda drove her crazy, but it was nice having someone looking out for her. "What would I do without you?"

"Well for starters, you wouldn't be going to the game tomorrow night!" Amanda quipped.

The two women laughed and hugged each other once more before drawing out of each other's arms. "Come on." Amanda said. Let's find you the perfect outfit to wear."


	5. Chapter 5

"Alicia, will you stop? That's the fifth time you've looked in the mirror in the last twenty minutes!"

Amanda wasn't there of course, but Alicia could hear her roommate's voice in her head loud and clear. Hours before, Amanda had mercifully told Alicia that she was headed for the Lauinger Library, with the phony excuse that she needed to study for midterms. But Alicia wasn't stupid. Midterms were still months away and Amanda was not a person who prepared for exams months in advance. An hour in advance was more like it. But God bless her anyway. Even though her roommate had made herself scarce to give Alicia privacy before Will arrived, it was still the sweetest thing that Amanda had ever done.

Abruptly Alicia stopped fluffing her hair and let her fingers fall from her green silk blouse. She had absolutely no idea what to wear to a basketball game, so she hoped that her blouse and jeans would be sufficient. And even if they weren't it was too late to change clothes now. She just hoped that she didn't look too terrible, although nothing could possibly look worse than a law student who resembled a drowned rat at a midnight pool party.

Her heart was racing with anticipation, (she refused to admit that she was nervous, even to herself) and she'd no sooner sat down on her bed, flipping through her Criminal Law book when there was a knock on the door. She was so startled that she gasped, her heart missing a beat.

Oh God, he's here.

Adrenaline rushed through her and she crossed the small dorm room to answer the door. One look at him and her breath was taken away. Oh God, was it really possible? Could he really be even more gorgeous than he'd been underneath the stars at the midnight pool party? It just wasn't conceivable. And yet, it was. He was dressed in a navy blue sweatshirt with white letters that spelled out "Georgetown" emblazoned on the front. And his dark blue jeans hugged his oh so sexy legs right down to his white high tops and-

Oh stop it, Alicia!

"Hey…"

She looked up, her heart skipping another beat when he smiled and his eyes met hers. "H-hey." She stammered.

But when his eyes moved up and down the length of her body, his smile faded and he shook his head. "No, no, no, this will never do."

Her mouth fell open in disbelief. "What? What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you. That shirt."

"What about it?" Her voice was agitated now. ""What's wrong with what I'm wearing? And besides, it's not a shirt, it's a blouse!"

He nodded. "You're right. It's a blouse. And it's a nice blouse, but-."

"But what? Look, if you don't like the way I look then maybe this date or whatever it's called was a bad idea! Goodnight, Mr. Gardner."

She moved to close the door but he held out his hand, preventing her from doing so.

"Wait-."

Her hands went to her hips. "What?"

"Look, I-um… I didn't handle that very well. I, um… you look great. Really great and I didn't mean to imply-."

"Mr. Gardner whatever it is you have to say about my appearance just say it!. And then you can leave, all right? I have work to do!"

"You look great; wonderful, in fact. But I was thinking that this-." he held up a plastic bag and handed it to her. "-might make you feel more comfortable. I mean it is a basketball game after all."

"I don't-."

He smiled and his eyes become softer. "Just take it, please? You don't have to keep it. It was just-."

She reached into the bag and gasped as she removed a blue and white t-shirt with Georgetown across the front in bold script.

"I hope that's the right size." Will was saying. "I wasn't sure what size to get so I just-."

Impulsively she hugged him, smiling to herself when he lost his balance. And she kept holding on to steady him. When he drew back, she kissed his lips. The kiss was soft and barely lasted ten seconds, but it was all it took for her own equilibrium to be thrown off balance. Or perhaps it was due to the feelings inside her; feelings that she shouldn't be having for a guy she'd just met.

"I-um… thank you, Mr. Gardner, I-I mean Will. I-I'm gonna be right back. I need to… Um... Yeah…"

He chuckled and nodded. "Go ahead. Take all the time you need. The game doesn't start for a while, so-."

The shirt clutched tightly in her hand, she disappeared into the bathroom. Her heart was racing and it was hard to catch her breath. The green blouse slipped easily off of her head and sailed from her hand, landing in a heap on the floor as the Georgetown shirt took its place. She admired herself in the mirror and smiled, fluffing her hair once more. The shirt was a little big, but to Alicia it was a perfect fit.

And she hoped that she and Will were a perfect fit as well.


	6. Chapter 6

By the time they reached the Georgetown Arena the place was buzzing with students and fans, most of whom were wearing the signature blue and grey colors. Alicia was grateful for her Georgetown sweatshirt, even though she knew that just wearing the same colors as every else hardly qualified as fitting in. Everywhere she looked there were people carrying stuffed bulldogs, holding grey and blue balloons… the place looked like a complete circus and she wondered exactly what she'd gotten herself into. She tried to cover her ears to block out the noise, but she realized that it was just part of the fun. Besides, there's no way she could fit in without tolerating the chaos around her.

"Come on Cavanaugh, this way." Will shouted. The touch of his hand as it slipped into hers made her shiver. She felt herself being pulled through the sea of people en route to somewhere unknown. But she found that she trusted Will Gardner-and she didn't trust many people.

"Here we are." He led her through a tunnel that entered into the arena, where the noise was even louder than before. Still holding hands, they turned the corner and made their way up a long row of concrete steps that seemed to have no end. Finally he stopped and they waded through the line of fans that were already seated on their row. She was overcome with relief when she spotted the two empty seats.

"We made it!" he said, motioning for her to sit. But she looked down and hesitated. "We-we're sitting all the way up here?"

"I know it's high but these are amazing seats!" He yelled over the screaming crowd. "Look, you can see the whole court!"

"I-I…"

When their eyes locked, his expression changed. "You're not afraid of heights are you? Oh God, I didn't even think about that."

"Um, no…" She half-lied. "I'm just… surprised, that's all."

"Don't worry. I won't let you fall. Have a seat."

Slowly she lowered the bottom of the metal seat and sat down. If she breathed deeply, maybe she wouldn't have to think about how high up they were. Come on Cavanaugh, you can do this… she said to herself. If you're gonna argue cases in Supreme Court one day, you can certainly handle a college basketball game!

"You're right!" She said. "I can do this!"

"Can do what?"

Oh God, she'd spoken out loud! What if he'd heard her talking about the Supreme Court? The date had barely begun and it was already doomed. Well, there was nothing left to do now except pretend to enjoys herself.

"Um, nothing." She said. She noticed he was now standing. "I-is something wrong?"

"No, I… Do you want anything?"

"Oh, um…"

He grinned. "I'll surprise you, okay?"

"Um, okay…"

"I'll be right back!"

He'd left her there alone in the terrifying seats but she told herself that she trusted him. And she did trust him... she did….she did… As long as she kept saying it to herself, she'd be fine.

She watched him make his way down the aisle and down the stairs before he disappeared into the tunnel. No sooner had he gone then the lights began to dim until she could no longer see her hand in front of her face. The noise level increased in ten-fold and she could barely make out what the announcer was saying over the intercom. But whatever it was, the crowd loved it.

Music began- a popular pop song that she recognized immediately. The crowd began to sing and clap with the beat. The Georgetown cheerleaders appeared and began a routine which, she had to admit was quite good. She'd always envied the cheerleaders in high school, for they were the ones who always had the cutest boyfriends but she bet none of them made it to Georgetown Law School.

While everyone stood and continued dancing and singing to the music, Alicia sat perfectly still. She'd never felt more out of place than at that moment.


	7. Chapter 7

Just when she thought that she would go out of her mind from the noise, she saw him appear around the corner. He was carrying a cardboard tray and she was impressed at the way he made his way up the stairs and through the aisle of people without spilling anything. Most of the people on their row were not happy about having their view of what must have been the pre-game show blocked, but Will didn't seem to mind. He sat down carefully, holding tightly to the tray.

"Sorry it took so long! He yelled. "The line was so long it reached New York City!"

She couldn't help it, she laughed out loud. "Really? Well you made great timing for someone who went all the way out of state for... whatever it is you're holding!"

He laughed and looked down at the tray. "I wasn't sure what you like to drink so I bought you a Coke."

She pulled the drink out of the box gratefully. "Thanks, I was thirsty and I love Coke."

"So do I."

Once the drinks were free, he sat the tray on the floor beside his feet.

"What else did you bring?"

"Oh, right… I got some nachos. Is that okay?"

She suddenly realized she was starving. "Okay? It's amazing!"

When he laughed, she realized she'd picked the wrong word… again.

"Amazing, huh?"

"Well, I-."

"I think you're amazing, Alicia Cavanaugh."

For what had to be the first time in her life she was rendered nearly speechless. "I-thank you."

"So what's going on down there?" he asked.

"What?"

"On the court."

"Oh, you missed it. The cheerleaders were doing a routine. It was pretty good, actually! But thanks for getting the food, Will. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome. Oh look! There's Jack! Whoooo!"

She was completely and utterly confused. "Jack? Who's Jack?"

"The mascot!"

When she looked at the court again she saw a bulldog on a leash that was clearly enjoying his fame, along with a person in a bulldog costume. "Which one is he?"

"They both are!"

Alicia nodded, even though it didn't make sense. "Oh… right!"

Will stood and began hollering once again. And this time she stood and began clapping along with the music. Perhaps this game wouldn't be as bad as she anticipated.

The starting lineup was announced and even though she had no idea who any of the players were, Will seem to know them all. He clapped and cheered for each one and she did the same. And then the game began.

There was barely any time to sit, what with the up and down score and the players ran back and forth on the court. Will stood and cheered and she wished that she could join in but basketball wasn't really her thing. She was grateful when the buzzer sounded, but her heart sank a little when the crowds began to disburse.

"It's over already?"

"Nah, it's halftime. Do you want another drink?"

She realized that she'd emptied her Coke and she reluctantly handed him the cup. "Ok, thanks."

"No problem. I'll be right back, okay?"

"Sure."

He disappeared again and she returned to her seat, munching on her nachos. She realized that he'd only bought one order so she was careful not to eat them all. She should offer to pay him for at least half, since she knew all too well that Georgetown students didn't have a lot of money to spare. But in the meantime she decided to take a look around the arena. She'd seen it from a distance around campus and on flyers, television and the like but she'd never seen the inside. It was nice; different than what she'd expected, not that she'd ever expected to actually see the inside.

This time he returned more quickly and was carrying two drinks in his hands. Fortunately there weren't as many people on their row so he was able to maneuver himself much more easily than the last time. "Here you are."

"Thanks. I saved you some nachos."

He sat down and smiled. "Great, you didn't have to do that, though."

"How much do I owe you by the way?"

"Owe me?"

"Yeah, for the drinks the nachos… the tickets."

"Alicia, this is a date, remember? And I'm happy to treat you."

"But Will-."

"Please. It's the least I can do for drenching you at the pool party."

"Oh, that damn party! I didn't even want to go but Amanda made me and-."

"Amanda?"

"My roommate."

"Ah…"

"Well, anyway…"

"It's too bad you didn't enjoy it, because I did. Especially since I met a beautiful woman in a pink suit!"

Alicia felt her cheeks flush. "Will…"

"Look, I insist that you let me pay for everything tonight. It's the least I can do for drenching you with my cannonball. Deal?"

She stuck out her hand and her heart warmed when his hand joined hers. "Deal."


	8. Chapter 8

By the third quarter, everything changed. The game had gotten so exciting that despite her lack of basketball knowledge, Alicia was on her feet, cheering along with the crowd. And she no longer minded the deafening noise-she was contributing to it. Every time the Bulldogs made a basket, she grabbed Will and hugged him. He'd been right, this was a huge game and she was glad that this was the game he'd chosen to take her to. If they won this, they'd win it all and go on to win a national championship! How could she not have even known that the Georgetown Bulldogs were this good?

The ball went this way and that and even in the silent moments when the players lined up for a free throw, she could feel her heart beating so loudly that she was certain others could hear it. But if they did, they were too busy concentrating on what was happening on the court. She glanced at the scoreboard, surprised at how close the scores were. This game was definitely the most exciting thing she'd ever been to in her life and there were times when she'd almost (almost!) forgotten that Will was standing beside her, cheering.

The Bulldogs were only a few points behind and she was screaming louder and louder, urging them to catch up. She knew they could do it; she was certain of it. If Miranda v. Arizona, 1966 could end with the requirement of prisoners being advised of their rights before being questioned by police (which was famous in its own right), then the Bulldogs could pull this off.

The score was suddenly tied, which increased her heart rate, along with her enthusiasm. And then the players assumed the position of the free throw. The Georgetown player in the middle-number 7 had already made every other free throw he attempted, and Alicia knew that he was going to make this one as well. They only needed one point to win it all.

Silence washed over the arena, creating a deafening sound. She looked down and realized that she was holding Will's hand, but he didn't seem to mind. All that mattered in that moment was that number 7 threw the ball into the basket. Never before had she been so nervous.

He aimed the ball at the basket and tossed it into the air. It sailed toward the basket and she heard Will whispering "Swish, swish… come on, Mason, swish!" She had no idea what it meant, but she started whispering the same, praying…

The ball reached the basket but ricocheted off and fell to the floor. The crowd groaned and a player on the opposing team caught it. The ball traveled down the court in the opposite direction and when she looked at the time clock, she was surprised to see that there were mere seconds left in the game. Number 18 on the opposing team threw the ball from center court where it went straight into the basket just as the buzzer sounded. There was only a moment's pause when a small cheer rose from the other side of the arena.

The opposing team had won.

Beside her, Will cursed and let out a breath, but Alicia found that she could not move. For the past several moments, her whole world had been tied up in that game. And now she felt as though she'd lost the biggest court case known to man. She would never know what it would be like for her school to win a national championship, never be able to celebrate with her classmates and finally understand what all the fuss was about, never….

The court and the fans who were now pouring out of the arena seemed to blur before her eyes.

"Well, come on, let's go."

She barely heard Will's voice and she stood there for a moment, staring at the faces of the players, the way their heads were hung low. She knew little about basketball of course, but she knew plenty about losing. She could tell by their faces that a lot of them wanted to go on to the big leagues, to play for teams like the Celtics and the Cavaliers. She couldn't imagine what they must be thinking.

His hand was in hers and she was led blindly down the concrete stairs but once they reached the tunnel, she stared at the court. A janitor was sweeping up the orange and yellow confetti from the floor, a symbol of the opposing team's victory.

Woodenly she moved away from Will and leaned against the railing.

"Alicia?"

She turned around and looked at him. He looked so upset. And that was all it took for her emotions to break.


	9. Chapter 9

Once she started to cry, she found that she couldn't stop. She was sure that Will was going to think that she was crazy. But to her amazement, he pulled her into his arms and let her cry against the softness of his sweatshirt. It felt so good to unleash her tears and let someone hold her like this. She realized how much she missed it, not that she'd ever had anyone to do it in the first place.

Around them the crowds were starting to thin but he never let go of her. He just continued to rub her back, whispering comforting words of "It'll be okay" and "They'll win it all next year" over and over. They were the most wonderful words she'd ever heard.

The sound of his voice broke the blissfulness. "We should probably go. I think we're the only ones left."

Embarrassed, she moved out of his arms and looked around. Oh God, what was wrong with her, making a scene? There was no telling what he would think of her.

"Oh-okay." She stammered.

They walked back to his car and she was amazed that the parking lot was nearly empty, but it was nice, in an odd sort of way. As they drove back to her dorm he turned to her.

"Did you want something to eat? We didn't have much at the game and I'm starved."

"Sure, that sounds great."

They had dinner at a local hangout and then walked hand in hand along the C&O Canal. At night it was beautiful, with its walkways framed by a canopy of trees and tiny lights that made it seem like the most romantic place in the world.

As they crossed the bridge, she paused and gazed out onto the water. He stood beside her, his hand on her back. "This is nice…" he said softly.

She turned to find herself in his arms. "I'm sorry for freaking out after the game. You probably think I'm a complete idiot."

But he shook his head. "Not at all. It was an emotional game and I'm pretty upset over it myself."

"I'd never even been to a game, so I don't have any excuse for acting like that!"

He took her chin in his hand and smiled. "You don't need an excuse, Alicia. You were just… caught up in the moment. We all were."

"Oh…"

They were just inches apart with no one around them. His arms slipped around her and she moved her face closer to his. The kisses, when they happened, were unlike anything she'd ever imagined. She never knew that anyone could make her feel the way Will Gardner was making her feel. Her fingers splayed through his hair and she loved the way his lips felt on hers.

"So…" She said drawing back to catch her breath. "When's the next game?"

He laughed. "Oh, well not for a while. They have the whole off-season to prepare for next year."

Amazingly she was disappointed. "Oh…"

"But I want to see you again before that. You know that, right?"

"You do?"

"Alicia Cavanaugh, you're the most wonderful girl I've ever met and I have a confession to make."

"All right, Mr. Gardner, what's your confession?"

"I'm glad I did a cannonball into that pool and soaked you!"

"What?"

"Think of what would have happened had I not done that!"

"We probably never would have met."

"That's right."

"Because I really wanted to get out of that party as quickly as possible."

"I'm glad you didn't."

"Thanks for the cinnamon hot chocolate."

"Thanks for going to the game with me, Alicia."

"So what shall we do now?"

"Well, I could take you back to your dorm. It's probably the gentlemanly thing to do."

She sighed, thinking of Amanda who would no doubt still be awake and ready to hear every detail of Alicia's evening with Will. "Oh… well what about your dorm?"

At his surprised look, she gasped. She couldn't believe she had suggested such a thing. "I-I mean…"

"No, that's okay. It's still early."

"Besides, as you know by now, I know nothing about basketball. It would be nice to have someone teach me."

Will grinned and put his arm around her and they began to walk.

"In basketball, you have various positions, the Point guard, the Shooting guard, the Small forward, the Power forward, the Center…"

Alicia turned and drew him closer and kissed him with everything she had. When he drew back, she smiled at him. "Thank you, Mr. Gardner… for everything."

As if for good measure he kissed her again. "You're welcome, Ms. Cavanaugh."

She sighed and leaned against him as they continued their walk.

"Now, as I was saying, each team has…."

But she wasn't really listening. She was dreaming of the next time he took her to a game and how he was the most wonderful man she'd ever met. She and Will Gardner were going to have a wonderful future together. She felt it in her heart. He was going on and on about what happens when a player steals the ball.

But he'd already stolen her heart.

THE END


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